Butter: The Secret to Longevity

October 3, 2012

Aging, the process of getting old, is an inevitable factor that everyone deals with in their lifetime. If I told you there were certain foods that reversed this conflicting process, would you believe me? As the standards of life expectancy continue to rise, we are beginning to discover how the foods we eat affect our genealogical lifespan.

One recent example, Juliana Koo, 107 years of age, is reaping the rewards from a diet emphasizing animal products and natural sources of saturated fat. When asked what her secret to reaching such a ripe age was, Koo replied, “Eat as much butter and pork as you like and never look backwards.” Before you find yourself running to the supermarket shelves, listen to this. Butter, a dairy product made by churning fresh fermented cream, is one of the most powerful anti-aging foods, as well as a versatile way of cooking, such as baking, frying, sautéing, and sauce making.

Butter can be seen as the ultimate fat, and on closer inspection, provides a broad array of vitamins and minerals that support heart, brain, and bone health. It’s true that butter is loaded with saturated fat, but half is of the monounsaturated kind – the same as olive oil. Even though butter has a reputation for being high in fat, this doesn’t mean it is bad for your health. That being said, butter contains vitamin A for adrenal gland function, vitamin K2 for healthy teeth, and vitamin D for strong bones. Most people, for example, don’t realize the impact fat has on their overall health. Fat, a category of lipids, preserves skin, hair, and eye health.

In addition to being a high-quality source of vitamins, butter contains something called conjugated linoleic acid, otherwise known as CLA. CLA, a class of isomers found in meat and dairy products from cud chewing mammals, controls blood sugar, has anti-cancer properties, and helps maintain lean body mass. Regardless of what the media says, saturated fats from butter actually help us maintain a healthy weight. Chances are if you currently a butter eater, you’ve never heard of the word butyrate before. Special short chain fatty acids, called butyric acid, inhibit inflammation, are the preferred energy for cells of the intestinal lining, reverse the effects of metabolic syndrome, and lower cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting insulin levels in the body. In fact, this special acid has even been shown to prevent cases of Chrohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Two particular areas of concern with buying butter, organic and grass-fed, are necessary factors when capturing these related benefits. Besides butter having a great taste, its baker friendly, keeps us feeling satiated, and is loaded with antioxidants. One thing’s for certain, butter has the ability to be the fountain of youth for anyone seeking to improve their chances of leading a long healthy life.